A treatise, touching Antichrist VVherein, the place, the time, the forme, the workmen, the vpholders, the proceeding, and lastly, the ruine and ouerthrow of the kingdome of Antichrist, is plainly laid open out of the word of God: where also manie darke, and hard places both of Daniell and the Reuelation are made manifest. By Lambert Danæus.

VVhat those tenne Kings signifie, which in the Reuelation are said, should deuoure, and con∣sume with fire the Harlot, and her fleshe.

The 28. Chapter.

BVt heerevnto obiection is made out of Reuel. 17.16. an hard place indeede, which, least it should trouble vs, we were best propound and expound the same: thus therefore it standeth.

[verse 16] And the tenne hornes which thou sawest vpon the Beast, are they that shall hate the Whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eate her flesh, and burne her with fire.

Now seeing we cannot conceiue how this may be perfour∣med by the power of the word preached, but only by outward weapons, as Swords, and suche like: it seemeth in some

sort to be contrarie and repugnant vnto this assertion of Paule. How then? surely it is euident vnto all, that that place doth not at all appertaine vnto that Beast, that repre∣senteth Antichrist vnto vs, but to that Beast which did pur∣traicte out vnto vs the Romane Empire, such as it was while it remained in Italie, which, that it should be ouer∣throwne in Italie, by tenne Kings, is héere made knowne. And this exposition agreeth verie truly with the euent and hi∣storie of things done, from whence, we are especially to fetch this accomplishment and interpretation of this prophecie. For if we do respect who they were, who indeede were the chiefe authors of the vtter ouerthrowe of the Romane Em∣pire in Italie, doubtlesse they were those Kings being tenne in number, whome Iohn heere specifieth: although they did not lineally or immediatly succeede eache other in their seue∣rall races, yet they all, and euerie one of them both made inua∣sion, and bare rule in Italie. Of these, Rhadagasius was the first, who being made King of Gothes, Anno Domini 409. made assult vpon Italie, in the time of Honorius the Empe∣rour, with 200000. Gothes, but with ill successe. For being put to foile by Stilicon (chiefe Captaine vnder Honorius,) and taken at the Citie Fessulae, he was by him hanged. There∣fore this Rhadagasius, is not reckoned among those tenne Kings, which raised the dignitie of the Romane Empire in Italie, séeing that his inuasion did no hurt either to Italie it∣selfe, or to the Empire of Rome, except only heerein, in gi∣uing ayme as it were by his example, and so opening a way and passage to others to follow him into Italie, gaue them en∣couragement ventrously to vndertake the enterprise. These therefore that follow, are the Kings that are mentioned in the Reuelation.

1. Alaticus, for he was the first of those tenne Kings, bee∣ing him-selfe also a Gothe, which began now to deface the Ro∣mane Empire, and Rome it-selfe in Italie. He liued in the dayes of Honorius the Emperour, and succeeded Rhadaga∣stus, being chosen King by the remainder of his dispearced

armie. This man, was the first of any Barbarian, next after the French-men, that inhabited about the Riuer Sequana, or Seine, and after the Empire was there once settled, that sur∣prized Rome in the yeare of Christ 414. in the yeare of the Empire of Honorius 18. and fiue yeares after the death of Rhadagasius. But yet he did neither rase the Citie, nor did outrage the faithfull and well-disposed people there inha∣biting.

2. Adaulphus, is the second, who also being King of Gotland, was possessed of Rome, and was the first that began to rage, and execute crueltie in the Citie, but being some∣what pacified, by the suite and intercession of Placida, Sis∣ter to Honorius, he did not vtterlie sacke and deface the same, as he had purposed. He liued in the time of Ho∣norius.

3. Gensericus, King of the Vandalls. This man being sent for out of Africa into Italie, by Eudoxia, wife vnto Valentinian the third, tooke Rome in the yeare of our Lord, 459. and in the sixth yeare of the Emperour Martia∣nus. This now is the third of those tenne Kings, which by the decree, and determinate counsell of God, burned with fire that detestable Harlot. Truth it is, that Attila liued also about these times, who likewise perfourmed great exploits, and greatly afflicted the Romane Empire. But this he did in the Prouinces, and not in Italie it-selfe. For when in the second yeare of Martianus the Emperour, he was desirous to inuade Italie, and hauing taken Aquilea, seemed to set forward towards Rome: Leo, the first, Bishop of Rome, and part of the Romane Senate, went out to meete him on the way, and being come vnto him, humbly intreated him to spare the Citie of Rome: by whose petitions, he was so mo∣ued, as that he thervpon caused his army to returne into Pan∣nonia, not marching one foote further within the boundes of Italie. Therefore this Attila is not to be accoumpted among those tenne Kings, which deuoured the flesh of the Beast, that is, of the Romaine Empire, and wasted the Citie it-selfe

with fire.

4. Odoacer, is next, being in number the fourth of those tenne, and liued in the dayes of Leo, the first, Emperour. This Odoacer was of Campania, and entring vpon Rome, called him-selfe at first, King, not Emperour of Italie. He did cleane cut off the race of all the Italian Emperours. He made hauock of Rome by the space of 14. yeares, in so much, as after Augustulus, which was subdued by him, there was neuer any called an Italian Emperour.

5. Theodoricus, King of Gothes, being sent for into Italie by Zeno the Emperour, to assist him against Odoacer, held him-selfe the Romane Empire in Italie, by the space of fiftie yeares: and to the ende he might make it knowne, how little he estéemed Rome, he kept his Emperiall residence at Ra∣venna. This man was the fift.

6. Athalaricus, who succéeded his Father Theodori∣cus, vnder Anastasius the Emperoure. For nowe the Empire of the Gothes beganne by a continuall succession of their Kings, to take rooting and footing in Italie. And vnder the gouernment of this Athalaricus, the Gothes continued their defacing of the dignity of the Romane Empire in Italie.

7. Theodatus, was the seauenth, and he also was a Gotish King, who succéeded Athalaricus in Italie.

8. Vitiges, the eight, King likewise of Gotland, after Theo∣datus, who wasted and spoiled almost all Italie. He besieged the Citie of Rome it-selfe, which had shronke and reuolted from the subiection of the Gotish Kings, vpon confidence of assistance from the Lieutenants and Emperours of Constan∣tinople. This man therefore (as Sabellicus reporteth) vtterly defaced, and put out all the lawes, customes, priuiledges, re∣cords of Antiquities of auncient families of the auncient Ro∣manes, which he found remaining in Italie. He liued vnder the raigne of Iustine the first.

9. Totilas King of Gothes, succéeded Vitiges, and this is y^e ninth of those 10. Kings. He liued vnder Iustinian the first, Emperour of Constātinople. This man both besieged, sacked,

and vtterly rased the Citie of Rome: and to conclude, euen as y^e Spirit of God had fore-shewed it should come to passe, he burnt it with fire: and this fire raunged & raged by y^e space of 40. daies, without ceasing, in so much as the Citie, being then so throughly consumed, might iustly be iudged to be that Geddon-Harma (the ruine of Rome) spoken of in the Reuel. that is the only shreads & sheards, & vtter ouerthrow of that famous & auncient Citie. For after this vastation, it remained only a ruinous & desolate place. And this befell in the yeare of our Lord 546. This scourge continued as is fore-shewed, Reuel. Cap. 13.5. by the space of 42. moneths, that is, three yeares and a halfe. For when the third yeare was expired, af∣ter this burning and vtter ouerthrow of Rome done by Toti∣las, Belisarius, chiefe Captaine vnder Iustinian, began first to renewe the same, gathering together such scraps and frag∣ments thereof as were left, and at last, to enuiron with a wall the plot or soile where once the ould Rome stoode, which is the verie same, where-with euen at this day that part which they call ould Rome, is beawtified.

10. Teias, who also was King of Gothes, is the tenth, who succéeded Totilas in the Kingdome, and vexed or wasted Ita∣lie but a short time, seeing that little or nothing was left of that auncient Citie, neither was there scarce any print or marke left of the ould Romane Empire. This man beeing taken prisoner by Belisarius, was caried vnto Constan∣tinople.

Now touching these matters, if we begin to reckon the time from Alaricus, they were atchieued within the compasse of about 132. yeares: but if we begin, as others will rather haue it, at the time of Odoacer, they were 60. yeares, and some-what more in doing.

Which points being thus made plane: we now perceiue and see, that God would not haue the kingdome of Anti∣christ ouerthrowne with worldly, or carnall weapons (as the scripture speaketh) but spirituall: that he will not cōtend with him with an yron Sword, but with the spirit or breath of

his mouth. Other earthlie and humane Monarches haue v∣sed earthlie and carnall weapons, both to the raising of them∣selues, and razing of others. So did the Persians ouer-runne Assyria with weapon and bloudie warre. And so againe did the Macedonians subdue the Persians by dint of Sworde. And so likewise did the Romanes, tame, and bring vnder the Macedonians. But the Lord who at first made and framed the whole world, by vertue of his word, who also sustaineth and ruleth the same by the power there-of, and will also raigne in his Church by the Preaching of his worde: and lastly, who hath giuen vnto Christ a spirituall, not an earth∣lie Kingdome: will vse a spirituall sword, the effectuall prea∣ching of the Gospell, for the foiling of his foes, euen as it is in Zech. 4.6. and Esay 9.5. For the saying of Lactantius is right famous, and most worthie of credite, which he hath in his fifth Booke, and ninetenth Chapter, It standeth with good reason, that thou shouldest maynteyne and de∣fende thy religion with pacience, or with death, where∣by keeping thy faith sound and vpright, thou makest it acceptable vnto God, and gaynest credit and authoritie vnto Religion.

And heere that maketh no iarre, which is sayd, Psal. 2.9. that Christ should haue an yron Scepter, whereby he should crush his enemies in peeces like a potters vessell. For indeede that place attributeth vnto Christ such power and might, as against which, his most obstinate and mightie foes should neuer be able to resist: but yet it doth not proper∣lie or litterally mention the meane or instrument, where-with the enemies of the Church shall be destroyed. For that must rather be brought to passe by the word of God, then with weapons: for the weapons of Christians, and of the Church of God, are spirituall (as Paule speaketh, 2. Cor. 10.4. Re∣uel. 19.15.) and not carnall or worldly.